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Kobe Bryant will not play Wednesday night in San Antonio, missing his third consecutive game because of an inflamed tendon sheath in his left shin.
Lakers coach Mike Brown huddled with athletic trainer Gary Vitti after practice in San Antonio about it. Bryant was at practice for medical treatment — and Vitti reported further improvement in Bryant’s condition, which made notable progress through Monday — but declined to comment. Bryant had ice over his shin during practice but left without the protective boot he has been wearing.
Bryant’s track record is that he will play in games if he is physically capable — and he could play now if the situation mandated it — but the issue is that the situation with his shin will likely recur if he does not rest until it is pain free. The Lakers don’t want this to be an issue that crops back up with the playoffs coming up (the Lakers’ first playoff game is expected to be April 29).
— Reported by Kevin Ding of the Orange County Register
